Viking RTS Northgard received a meaty update today, introducing powerful artefacts that can buff your clan. They're accompanied by an expanded crafting system, along with changes to tool mechanics and the forge, which is where your smiths will be working away to make your fancy relics. It's live now.
Just by luck, the vikings have remembered how to craft these relics, and each clan can pick between five common and one clan-specific relic, activating one at a time. With these handy artefacts, you'll be able to summon giants and undead monstrosities to do your bidding, just like the old vikings.
Inside the updated forge, you'll be able to put three smiths to work, letting you craft items quickly. They can upgrade civilian and military tools, and it's now possible to queue up multiple items. The smiths can be upgraded, too, giving them a boost in forge speed.
It sounds like a good excuse to return. It's one of my favourite Age of Empires-style RTS romps, and some of these relics sound like proper game changers. 50 percent defensive bonuses, colonising tiles with lore, summoning the wrath of gods—they're not messing around.
Take a look at the patch notes and relic list here.